Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method which detect a recognition target from an image captured by a camera, such as an on-vehicle camera.
Background Art
Image processing apparatuses are known which detect preset recognition targets from images captured by cameras. Image processing apparatuses with various processing performances are used according to applications. The cameras, owing to their improved performances, are ensured to output image data in a wide dynamic range. Accordingly, the dynamic range (e.g. 12 bits) of image data outputted from such a camera may exceed the processing performance (e.g. 8 bits) of the image processing apparatus. In such a case, some known image processing apparatus performs gray scale conversion (e.g. conversion from 12 to 8 bits) to lower the number of gradations (or the number of steps of a gradation scale) of the image data outputted from the camera, and then detects a recognition target in the gray scale-converted image data. For example, PTL 1 discloses such an example.